The Muscogee County School District made significant progress this past year on the state's standardized tests when ranked among its comparison group, according to an analysis by the Ledger-Enquirer.

The 2013 state and district Criterion-Referenced Competency Test scores were released Tuesday by the Georgia Department of Education. Individual school scores have not been released.

The majority of Muscogee County students met or exceeded state standards in all CRCT subjects and even improved in some areas. The results also showed the Muscogee County School District, in most cases, scored lower than the average of the state's 180 school districts.

But to put the results in perspective, education experts say, the best comparisons are made when a school district is matched with others of similar demographics. That takes a district's advantages and disadvantages into account -- and discounts excuses. The Muscogee County School District is among 11 districts in its state-recognized comparison group, which includes the counties of Bibb, Chatham, Clarke, Clayton, DeKalb, Dougherty, Liberty, Richmond, Spalding and Troup.

Last year, Muscogee County ranked in the bottom half of every subject except social studies among its comparison group. This year, Muscogee County ranked in the top half of 11 of the 30 subjects and grades, including first in eighth-grade English/language arts.

Muscogee County's worst ranking this year is 10th in fifth-grade math and science.

In third grade, Muscogee County is tied for sixth in reading, ninth in English/language arts, ninth in math, ninth in science and sixth in social studies.

In fourth grade, Muscogee County is fourth in reading, fourth in English/language arts, eighth in math, seventh in science and fifth in social studies.

In fifth grade, Muscogee County is seventh in reading, ninth in English/language arts, 10th in math, 10th in science and eighth in social studies.

In sixth grade, Muscogee County is sixth in reading, seventh in English/language arts, sixth in math, fourth in science and fourth in social studies.

In seventh grade, Muscogee County is seventh in reading, seventh in English/language arts, fifth in math, sixth in science and fifth in social studies.

In eighth grade, Muscogee County is fourth in reading, first in English/language arts, sixth in math, fifth in science and fifth in social studies.

Muscogee County interim schools Superintendent John Phillips could not be reached for comment Friday, but in a news release last week, chief academic officer Ronie Collins said, "We expect our focus on curriculum mapping and developing rigorous lessons with ongoing assessment of student progress to help us continue to improve and make gains in the areas of concern."

THIRD-GRADE READING

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:

1. Troup 93.0

2. Chatham 91.8

2. Liberty 91.8

4. Spalding 91.0

5. Clarke 88.6

6. DeKalb 85.6

6. Muscogee 85.6

8. Clayton 84.5

9. Richmond 84.3

10. Dougherty 84.2

11. Bibb 83.3

STATE 92.1

THIRD-GRADE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:

1. Troup 90.3

2. Liberty 89.6

3. Spalding 86.4

4. Chatham 85.7

5. Clarke 81.1

6. Dougherty 80.7

7. DeKalb 79.8

8. Clayton 79.0

9. Muscogee 78.5

10. Bibb 78.1

11. Richmond 74.7

STATE 88.1

THIRD-GRADE MATH

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:

1. Troup 81.8

2. Liberty 77.2

3. Spalding 75.8

4. Clarke 73.8

5. Dougherty 73.0

6. Chatham 68.8

7. DeKalb 65.1

8. Clayton 64.6

9. Muscogee 64.2

10. Bibb 63.9

11. Richmond 63.4

STATE 78.5

THIRD-GRADE SCIENCE

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:

1. Liberty 78.7

2. Troup 78.5

3. Spalding 77.9

4. Chatham 71.6

5. Clarke 70.0

6. Dougherty 66.3

7. DeKalb 65.1

8. Clayton 64.9

9. Muscogee 62.6

10. Bibb 59.6

11. Richmond 58.8

STATE 78.4

THIRD-GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:

1. Liberty 86.8

2. Troup 85.3

3. Spalding 82.4

4. Chatham 77.7

5. Clarke 76.9

6. Muscogee 73.5

7. DeKalb 73.1

8. Dougherty 73.0

9. Bibb 72.1

10. Clayton 69.5

11. Richmond 62.0

STATE 83.4

FOURTH-GRADE READING

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:

1. Liberty 94.3

2. Troup 93.4

3. Chatham 89.9

4. Muscogee 88.6

5. Spalding 88.0

6. Clarke 87.0

6. Clayton 87.0

8. DeKalb 86.9

9. Richmond 86.2

10. Bibb 85.9

11. Dougherty 85.2

STATE 92.5

FOURTH-GRADE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:

1. Troup 91.1

2. Liberty 90.4

3. Chatham 86.7

4. Muscogee 85.3

5. Clayton 83.9

6. Bibb 83.6

6. Spalding 83.6

8. Clarke 82.4

9. DeKalb 82.3

10. Dougherty 80.7

11. Richmond 80.4

STATE 90.2

FOURTH-GRADE MATH

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:

1. Troup 83.5

2. Liberty 82.3

3. Clarke 81.6

4. Spalding 80.3

5. Dougherty 77.0

6. Chatham 76.0

7. Clayton 74.6

8. Muscogee 72.1

9. Richmond 70.5

10. DeKalb 70.0

11. Bibb 69.4

STATE 84.3

FOURTH-GRADE SCIENCE

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 85.4

2. Liberty 85.0

3. Clarke 76.4

4. Clayton 74.5

5. Spalding 73.7

6. Chatham 73.2

7. Muscogee 73.0

8. Dougherty 70.6

9. DeKalb 69.0

10. Richmond 68.2

11. Bibb 67.9

STATE 82.7

FOURTH-GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 85.7

2. Liberty 82.2

3. Chatham 71.6

4. Clarke 71.1

5. Muscogee 70.8

6. Spalding 70.4

7. Clayton 68.7

8. DeKalb 68.1

9. Bibb 67.5

9. Dougherty 67.5

11. Richmond 64.1

STATE 81.3

FIFTH-GRADE READING

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Liberty 94.6

1. Troup 94.6

3. Chatham 93.3

4. Clarke 91.3

5. Spalding 90.3

6. Clayton 89.4

7. Muscogee 87.9

8. Bibb 87.1

9. DeKalb 86.5

10. Dougherty 86.0

11. Richmond 85.5

STATE 92.9

FIFTH-GRADE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 96.4

2. Liberty 94.6

3. Chatham 94.1

4. Clarke 92.0

5 .Dougherty 91.5

5. Spalding 91.5

7. Clayton 90.9

8. Bibb 90.7

9. Muscogee 89.3

10. DeKalb 88.3

11. Richmond 87.0

STATE 94.2

FIFTH-GRADE MATH

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 93.6

2. Clarke 90.2

3. Liberty 88.8

4. Spalding 88.5

5. Dougherty 87.5

6. Chatham 84.6

7. Clayton 84.2

8. Bibb 82.2

9. DeKalb 79.2

10. Muscogee 79.1

11. Richmond 78.0

STATE 89.5

FIFTH-GRADE SCIENCE

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 81.6

2. Liberty 80.3

3. Dougherty 75.5

4. Spalding 74.5

5. Clarke 73.9

6. Clayton 73.3

7. Chatham 70.6

8. Richmond 68.0

9. Bibb 65.5

10. Muscogee 65.1

11. DeKalb 63.2

STATE 79.6

FIFTH-GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 87.2

2. Liberty 82.0

3. Spalding 75.9

4. Dougherty 74.3

5. Clarke 72.5

6. Chatham 70.8

7. Bibb 70.6

8. Muscogee 70.3

9. Clayton 69.0

10. DeKalb 66.2

11. Richmond 64.5

STATE 80.5

SIXTH-GRADE READING

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 94.7

2. Chatham 94.5

3. Spalding 94.1

4. Liberty 94.0

5. Clayton 93.2

6. Muscogee 93.1

7. Clarke 92.9

8. Richmond 92.6

9. Bibb 92.2

10. DeKalb 91.6

11. Dougherty 91.4

STATE 96.0

SIXTH-GRADE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Liberty 91.2

2. Spalding 90.9

3. Troup 89.8

4. Chatham 89.5

5. Dougherty 88.9

6. Clayton 88.7

7. Muscogee 88.3

8. DeKalb 86.2

9. Richmond 86.0

10. Bibb 85.9

11. Clarke 85.5

STATE 92.4

SIXTH-GRADE MATH

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 82.5

2. Chatham 76.0

3. Dougherty 75.0

4. Liberty 74.9

5. Spalding 74.8

6. Muscogee 73.2

7. Clayton 72.1

8. Clarke 71.5

9. DeKalb 70.8

10. Bibb 70.0

11. Richmond 62.9

STATE 82.7

SIXTH-GRADE SCIENCE

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 74.3

2. Liberty 69.2

3. Clayton 64.7

4 .Muscogee 63.2

5. Clarke 61.7

6. Spalding 60.5

7. Dougherty 58.5

8. Chatham 58.0

9. DeKalb 55.9

10. Richmond 51.2

11. Bibb 51.1

STATE 74.0

SIXTH-GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 79.2

2. Clarke 71.8

3. Liberty 70.8

4. Muscogee 67.2

5. Clayton 65.1

6. Dougherty 63.4

7. Chatham 63.3

8. DeKalb 63.1

9. Bibb 56.9

10. Spalding 56.6

11. Richmond 56.0

STATE 77.5

SEVENTH-GRADE READING

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Liberty 94.3

2. Troup 93.9

3. Chatham 92.4

4. Dougherty 92.1

5. Spalding 92.0

6. Clayton 91.3

7. Muscogee 91.6

8. Richmond 91.1

9. Clarke 89.7

10. Bibb 88.0

11. DeKalb 87.4

STATE 94.7

SEVENTH-GRADE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Liberty 92.5

2. Spalding 91.6

3. Dougherty 91.5

4. Chatham 90.1

4. Troup 90.1

6. Clayton 89.2

7. Muscogee 89.1

8. Richmond 87.1

9. Clarke 86.8

10. Bibb 86.0

11. DeKalb 84.6

STATE 93.0

SEVENTH-GRADE MATH

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 89.4

2. Liberty 87.3

3. Dougherty 86.0

4. Spalding 85.4

5. Muscogee 83.1

6. Clayton 82.6

7. Clarke 82.4

8. Chatham 82.2

9. Bibb 79.0

10. DeKalb 78.2

11. Richmond 75.1

STATE 89.9

SEVENTH-GRADE science

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Liberty 87.9

2. Dougherty 81.2

3. Troup 80.7

4. Clayton 79.5

5. Spalding 78.3

6. Muscogee 77.6

7. Clarke 76.4

8. Chatham 73.9

9. Richmond 73.2

10. DeKalb 70.7

11. Bibb 67.6

STATE 85.2

SEVENTH-GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 81.3

2. Clarke 80.9

3. Dougherty 78.6

4. Liberty 78.3

5. Muscogee 73.5

6. Clayton 71.7

7. Spalding 69.5

8. DeKalb 68.7

9. Chatham 66.7

10. Bibb 66.0

11. Richmond 62.7

STATE 82.7

EIGHTH-GRADE READING

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 97.6

2. Liberty 97.4

3. Chatham 96.7

4. Muscogee 95.5

5. Clayton 95.3

6. Dougherty 95.1

6. Richmond 95.1

8. Clarke 94.3

9. Spalding 94.0

10. Bibb 92.1

11. DeKalb 91.8

STATE 96.8

EIGHTH-GRADE ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Muscogee 93.9

2. Liberty 93.7

3. Troup 93.6

4. Dougherty 93.1

5. Spalding 92.4

6. Chatham 92.2

6. Clayton 92.2

8. Clarke 92.1

9. Richmond 91.5

10. Bibb 88.6

11. DeKalb 87.5

STATE 94.3

EIGHTH-GRADE MATH

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Troup 83.1

2. Liberty 81.4

3. Dougherty 78.9

4. Clarke 75.1

5. Chatham 74.4

6. Muscogee 74.1

7. Clayton 73.7

8. Spalding 72.3

9. DeKalb 68.9

10. Richmond 66.8

11. Bibb 64.9

STATE 83.0

EIGHTH-GRADE SCIENCE

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Liberty 71.2

2. Troup 68.3

3. Clayton 67.3

4. Dougherty 66.4

5. Muscogee 64.0

6. Clarke 62.5

7. Spalding 59.0

8. Chatham 57.9

9. DeKalb 57.2

10. Richmond 56.2

11. Bibb 48.2

STATE 74.0

EIGHTH-GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

Percentage of students that met or exceeded the state standard, which means they passed the test:Troup

1. Liberty 74.0

2. Troup 73.1

3. Clayton 69.5

4. Clarke 69.2

5. Muscogee 69.0

6. Dougherty 67.8

7. Chatham 65.2

8. Richmond 63.8

9. DeKalb 62.5

10. Bibb 60.4

11. Spalding 60.0

STATE 77.9

Note: Due to budget cuts, Georgia's public school students in the first and second grades didn't take the 2013 Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests. Grades 9-12 don't take the CRCT.

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